The nurse is caring for a 10-year-old child during a long hospitalization. What intervention should the nurse include in the care plan to minimize loss of control and autonomy during the hospitalization?

Question

a. Allow the child to skip morning self-care activities to watch a favorite television program.
b. Create a calendar with special events such as a visit from a friend to maintain a routine.
c. Allow the child to sleep later in the morning and go to bed later at night to promote control.
d. Create a restrictive environment so the child feels in control of sensory stimulation.

Answer 1

ANS: B
School-age children may feel an overwhelming loss of control and autonomy during a longer hospitalization. One intervention to minimize this loss of control is to create a calendar with planned special events such as a visit from a friend. Maintaining the child's daily routine is another intervention to minimize the sense of loss of control; allowing the child to skip morning self-care activities, sleep later, or stay up later would work against this goal. Environments should be as nonrestrictive as possible to allow the child freedom to move about, thus allowing a sense of autonomy.